Realism and Romance
by Di Blythe
Summary: She wondered why her mother was not worried about her, she was not ambitious, she was not a brilliant society leader, and she was not quite out for becoming a teacher either like all the others either. Piper McLean could feel all the opportunities in life slipping away, and she didn't know what to do. Maybe a certain person can help her find her way once again. (AU JASPER)
1. The Troubles of Miss McLean

**Title: **Realism and Romance

**Genre: **Romance (the name of the story kind of gives you the hint)

**Main characters:** Piper. M, Jason. G

**Summary: **She wondered why her mother was not worried about her, she was not ambitious, she was not a brilliant society leader, and she was not quite out for becoming a teacher either like all the others either. Piper McLean could feel all the opportunities in life slipping away, and she didn't know what to do. Maybe a certain person can help her find her way. (Set in early 1900s, AU JASPER)

**A/N: **Yes, yes, I know I ought to be updating the almost-forgotten stories of mine but this idea has been haunting me for ages! I just had to write it down! As said in the summary, it's an AU set in the 1900s so very old-fashioned. I hope you like it :) Please review!

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Piper gazed across the lush green fields of the valley. She had sat herself down on the grass as she watched the sun slowly making its way down. Her hand held a little flower picked up from the brook valley nearby.

"It's been a nice summer hasn't it?"

She looked at her friend, Annabeth Chase, who sat next to her dreamily looking out onto the horizon. Her hair was tied loosely at the back making her golden curls fall over her shoulders.

"Yes I suppose it has been." She twisted the silver bangle on her wrist. "The children down at the school are all such darlings, I shall be glad to come down and teach again."

Piper nodded and pushed a strand brown hair behind her ear. Her eyes shone with a peculiar lustre of brilliancy as she glanced sideways at Annabeth. "Are you going to continue to try and earn enough for college?"

"I am trying, but I suppose it may take another year or so since it is rather a high cost to pay." She said rather wistfully. Annabeth had studied enough to become a teacher throughout the late year. She had hoped to continue on with her education but Mr Frederick Chase could not afford to take her. Piper knew this and would always offer to give in money, but Annabeth had firmly disagreed and told her that she ought to save it for her own education.

"As if I should save it for such!" she had exclaimed. "I still have a year to save up for college and Annabeth, need I remind you that I am not ambitious as you are."

The wise friend only shook her head and sighed. 'Piper you really aren't doing me any favour if you pay this off for me, I want to do this on my own.'

The brunette had muttered something of her stubbornness but decided that if she really wanted to it that way then she should. She shouldn't get in her way.

Piper pursed her lips. "Is Percy going to college as well?"

Annabeth smoothed out her blue skirt and looked up. "No, he hasn't decided what to do yet." Piper had to keep herself from rolling her eyes. Percy was probably not going because Annabeth wasn't. She had her suspicions that the two had strong feelings for each other. However, whenever the topic was brought up about them sweet hearting, they both denied the idea of courting.

Still, she couldn't help but feel that it wasn't the fact that Percy could not decide on what to study, but the idea of not having that intelligent gray-eyed girl beside him.

Piper touched the brim of her hat gently and placed the flower in her hands down beside her. "I think Leo is going next year. He'll go the moment he has the chance since he wants to become a mechanic or something along the lines. I shall go the year after."

Annabeth lips curled into a small smile. "Why not go out for next year? We'll all be there and if you go the one after that then you won't have anyone going with you."

Piper shook her brown locks. "I will not be alone; I will have Hazel to keep company." Annabeth heaved a heavy sigh.

"My dear Piper, what ever shall we do with you?" The brunette had to frown at her response.

"Oh don't look at me in that way Annabeth! It makes me feel like I ought to be ashamed of myself. You surely cannot expect me to go off to _college_. I will be the only person who shall not know a thing about staying on honour rolls and examinations. I'm not like Katie or any of you lot." She exclaimed. "I do not even know how to do household chores properly! Dear mother had tried teaching me just the other day how to crotchet stitch fabric and I ended up pricking my finger and not just once Annabeth, twice!_ Twice!_ Lacy had laughed because she thought I had only been joking. You should have seen her face when she realised that I actually could not offered to help me but do you know how mortified I felt at the thought of my _little_ sister assisting me in something? It's not poor Lacy's fault of course, but if anyone heard that I couldn't do something my younger siblings could then I would never be able to hear the end of it! I'm afraid I am the dunce of the family after all."

Annabeth turned to her friend. "You're only eighteen Piper, you have a lot of time to think this over. And not every woman needs to learn _household_ chores."

Piper crossed her arms and looked out to ahead which made it look as if she were scolding the heavens for giving her such a life. "A decent woman of society has already learnt to do such things from the age of twelve! And think of when I am the mother of the house and I have to look after everything...Oh, dear Annabeth I am completely hopeless."

The gray-eyed had to laugh at the younger girl, but not a mocking laugh, a reassuring one. This pretty, smart girl who was sure to have a string of beaux was worried about not being able to fit in? That she was useless? Annabeth knew much better. "I'm sure Jason would not mind a bit if you were a 'dunce'."

Piper's eyes widened and she leaned back to look at Annabeth clearly, an incredulous expression on her face. "And where on earth did Jason Grace ever come into this topic?!"

"Oh I recall those long-lost school days when you were ever so infatuated by him!" she said with such a suggestive look hinted in her eyes that Piper scolded ever so harshly.

"Ah but the key word in that is _long-lost_. Miss Annabeth Chase! I do not ever believe I had heard that of you! Jason has never once entered my interest for the last several years and that fancy I once had for him? It was a pure 'crush' as you may call it. I haven't seen him since Percy's summer picnic, and that was when we were thirteen, wasn't it?" She shook her head. "And what do I care for him now? For all I know he's apparently dating Reyna Arellano, isn't he?"

This time it was Annabeth's pretty face that scolded. "Piper that is just a mere rumour, don't ever listen to those old gossips from town. They never know anything. Remember when it was suspected that Percy was Rachel's beau?" She spoke rather bitterly and Piper secreted a small smile to herself.

"Well whatever the rumours, I certainly won't be the one spreading them. Jason can go off with Reyna for all I care because he's hardly a friend of mine anyway." She spoke of nothing but the mere truth and her expression dared her blonde friend to say more.

Annabeth pursed her lips tightly and got up from her spot. "I suppose I should be leaving now since Matthew and Bobby are waiting for me. Bobby has the croup."

"Oh, do tell your mother I said hello and that I hope he gets well soon. I think I should stay for a few more."

Annabeth smiled at the girl before walking away from the beautiful green land as the sun slowly set making the sky's colour turn into something magnificent. Piper watched her retreating figure and sighed softly. Her fingers pull out a green blade of grass as she hummed a little tune that came to her mind.

It was very plain to see that Piper McLean was definitely the odd one of her clan. The McLean gang were all rather handsome, all well-known among social groups and gossip, all frivolous. The offspring of her clan were _definitely_ known for being the frivolous and flirtatious bunch and possessed that certain tone of arrogance as well-something which Piper did not seem to inherit. And rather than being proud of her appearance and worried over being socially successful, she was more interested in...nothing. Absolutely nothing. She wondered why her mother was not worried about her, she was not ambitious, she was not a brilliant society leader, and she was not quite out for becoming a teacher either like all the others either.

She was pretty, very pretty. But then of course all her relatives were, and frankly they were pretti_er._

Still humming contently, she reflected that she would like to end up as a nice old maid. A little like that woman up the road, Ms Hestia. And it would be out of the fact she simply was incapable of marriage. Yes, she liked that idea. She didn't want to have that life where everything was crazy and tragically romantic.

Then again, being a romantic also was something only to be dealt with by her siblings, as was the art of match-making. And of course, she had neither interest nor a sharp eye when it came to love...-except maybe when it came to Percy and Annabeth. But then their close relationship was _completely_ obvious.

She stopped humming. Piper stared at the horizon and noticed that the sky was a tinge bit darker than before. In the distance, she could hear the sound of birds cawing loudly at one another. Crickets started to chirp signalling that it was indeed getting late. Taking this as a cue, she got up to leave.

The walk home to her household wasn't very long, but she tried to enjoy every moment of the fresh breeze that swept across her face. She enjoyed having evening strolls, and it was nice just to think of all the things to think about when one was alone.

She sighed once more and turned the brass handle of a door, only to be greeted by the loud exclaims coming from every corner of the house, particularly from her older cousin.

Piper found Silena Beauregard as she stared at the letter in her hand with what she could only read as a flushed and flattered expression on her face. The older girl's eyes looked up at her with excitement as she entered the room. Piper never really understood the joy that came to her family about letters, but she assumed that Silena must have gotten it from her beau. She raised her eyebrow questioningly at the excited older girl.

Silena, rosy cheeked and bright-eyed, ran up to her, holding the letter in her hand high up as though it were something precious. She grinned. "Oh honey, you will not believe what I have to say to you! I just received a letter and I'm so excited for this!"

Piper had to smile at the sight of the older girl. "Well what seems to be so important and newsworthy?"

Silena clasped her hands together and thrust the envelope into her grasp. She opened it slowly and began reading through the letter. Her cousin beamed at her. "See! There is going to be a party in a few days time, and we are all invited!"

Piper furrowed her eyebrows as she continued observing the letter. Unfortunately for Silena, the news did not excite her the way she thought it would. Though Silena should have expected the sort of reaction from her because, like that Annabeth-girl, she did not find parties amusing. She'd rather stay at home, her face buried into another one of Shakespeare's sonnets.

Because doing so was _much _more _romantic _than joining all her chums at a marvellous conference.

After studying the paper for quite a while, Piper pursed her lips tightly and looked at her cousin. "I don't think I shall go."

Silena's bright smile immediately disappeared and she stopped jumping up and down with glee. "Why not?"

The brunette wrinkled her nose as if the whole idea seemed strange to her. "What use is it to go out in the cold night? You haven't heard? It may rain for quite a while, and I don't want to risk the chance of becoming ill because I stayed up all night with flirtatious young men." She sniffed daintily took off her coat before hanging it up on the hook nearby. "I think it's scandalous, really."

Silena huffed and crossed her arms. "Why you sound just like that Miss Diana up the road!" she exclaimed. "'Scandalous' or not, everybody deserves having a good time. You of all people should get up and have some delight in life!"

Piper only sighed and passed the note back over to her. "Your definition of a good time and mine is very different. I think I am content sitting in my nice warm bed sleeping. Don't make such a face! Yes I _did_ say it Silena, I would rather sleep."

She turned and started to make her way up the stairs to the bedrooms. Silena went off for her hurriedly, along the way crying out 'You sure you won't change your mind?' and 'I _could_ change your mind!' But Piper was simply not interested at all. A party? Of all things it had to be a party! She would've loved to see Silena changing her mind, what of that!

The older girl tugged on her sleeve and made Piper turn her way. Her brilliant blue eyes looked up at her pleadingly, her mouth pouting. She had only ever done the act as a child, but it seemed necessary at that moment.

She sighed. "Lena..."

"Please, please, _please_! I really want to go with you, and I can dress you up and you can wear that new dress of green-blue that mother brought you and I could do your hair up in that new style. It would look very becoming of you, oh please let me try it!"

"You can dress up Lacy."

Silena scolded. "And of course, Lacy is not coming. She is too young, the whole town would love to look over that-imagine a twelve year old gallivanting with young adults! Oh yes Piper dear, I can surely do that!" Piper wrinkled her nose at the sound Silena's voice which dripped with sarcasm. She turned back towards her doorway.

"And," Silena added, still attempting on convincing her. "And, there will be many other classmates and students from other places and you can surely be influenced by them since you cannot think about what to study!"

This had some affect to Piper, who had to admit her desire of finding something to keep her life stable. The idea of a party was looking a little more appealing, and she could not hide the fact that she was a little tempted to go.

But even so, Piper had only been _slightly_ tempted. The latter shook her head and remembered what parties were really about: dancing and simply gossiping. Sheer gossiping about who went out with who, what they were wearing, how one had taken the other's escort and started a little feud between couples...What use was gossip to her?

So there, Piper had set her mind that she was not to go. Silena could nag as much as she wanted.

"You should have seen it coming, honey. I told you she wouldn't go." Drew said as she walked up the stairs to the both of them. Piper frowned slightly. She told her? What on earth did she mean?

Drew Tanaka was Piper McLean's second-cousin from her mother's side. Like all the family, she was beautiful and charming, and she could come up with the most agreeable tone ever heard. Drew was rather outspoken which tended to make her the least favourable relative in Piper's eyes. Her velvety brown eyes looked upon her haughtily, a small smile playing at her lips much to Piper's own irritation and indignation.

"Why wouldn't I go?" she said. Drew, however, did not acknowledge her in any way.

"Well I suppose it is all too flashy for her, she never really liked socialising now did she?" her tone was spoken with so much innocence that it seemed to Piper that she was simply taunting her.

She wasn't a socially failed person! She did not like parties, but she did like the company of people. How dare that cousin of hers say such a thing! She'd show her, she would.

If Drew had said that she _should've_ gone to the party, the girl would have still not gone-her determination only stronger. But she had not said that, and instead Piper felt the immediate urge to defy the snooty cousin of hers. Such insults cannot be made and left like that, you know.

Piper clenched her hands into tight fists and she glared at Drew with burning resentment. "I'm going to the party! I'm going; I do get along with people! I am going no matter what you say!"

She stormed off with a huff, muttering under her breath of how she would show everyone who would be there that night. Silena stood there with a mixture of emotions written on her face-surprise, glee, excitement-at the series of events that happened right in front of her. She let a happy sigh at the thought of Piper finally being there-and she would surely let her make her up this time!

Drew gave Silena a smile as they watched Piper's retreating figure shut the door to her bedroom. She crossed her arms and said

"I told you I could convince her."


	2. Leisure of summer

Hazel Levesque quickened her pace to match the two older girls as they walked on with one still rambling and the other rolling her eyes, but with perhaps a small amused smile written on her lips. They walked through the town; she always had some sort of excitement to go about like this.

"Did you ever hear that there were a million types of dark purple, girls? I hadn't until Silena and Lacy had to point it out that I shouldn't wear such."

The two girls had to sigh as Piper rambled on about how atrocious it was to be in her house during preparations for parties. Her use of vivid language and imagery might've been slightly exaggerated or not but they listened nonetheless. "Just picture walking into a room with thousands of clothing thrown onto the floor-all different colours. Some of which I had never even seen before, and then to hear horrible sobs coming from some other cousin down the hall because she couldn't fit into her skirt like she used to."

Hazel rubbed her chin with a thoughtful look on her face. "Well I do reckon your family is strange." Piper did not argue on that subject, and she nodded firmly at her. "But a party is a party, who are you going with?"

Annabeth shrugged her shoulders, "With Percy I suppose," she remarked absently while Piper stood with her mouth agape in complete and utter shock.

"We need somebody to accompany us?" Annabeth nodded as she looked over the different fabrics for a dress. Piper wrung her hands nervously. "If I had known that before I would have not said I was going!"

"It is not something you need to have, but they must expect us all to bring a companion, right?"

"Wrong," she said. "I am not going with anybody."

Hazel scrunched her nose and looked at Piper curiously. She readjusted her brimmed hat on her head and said "Why not go with somebody as friends? You can go with-well you can ask Mitchell."

"As if I would go with my cousin...and he's going with Lou Ellen from the other side of town." Piper retorted with a huff at her friend. Honestly, nobody understood her when it came to things like this.

Even the _reasonable_ Annabeth looked at her with a disapproving glance. "Piper, it is just _one_ party."

"Yes, it is, and even if it will be very agitating I am still to go," she tried putting some confidence in her voice like it all took a big amount of effort, and then she added meekly "Because Silena is still forcing me."

Annabeth shook her head slightly, "Well I have no problem with parties, just so long as you keep going to the church like a lady should."

"I am not a lady." Hazel said with a solemn face.

"We're both hardly." Piper added.

"You shall be very soon if you're able to go to conventions." said Miss Chase.

"Your father wasn't in church in any of last month's Sundays," Hazel said pushing the other topic to the side. She ruffled her golden-brown curls slightly. "Why ever not?"

Piper pondered the question for a while as they continued to walk past the small town shops. "Unlike my mother, he isn't as much of a religious person."

"That seems rather strange, I've never heard such about him."

"It isn't scandalous really-my mother attends and he's alright with that. I'm glad he doesn't forcefully inflict his beliefs into our minds." Piper said. "Like the fact that he thinks Miss Jane's hair is real, but we all know it is indeed a wig."

Hazel twisted her face comically and suppressed a smile. "It is a wig."

"Yes, I know so too. He thinks differently because he believes she wouldn't do such, but I know so because she sat in front of me last Sunday and scratched her little head-and I would've paid to see her reaction if she actually knew that it tilted her wig to the side. It slanted completely. I understand that some people may like to wear wigs for the glory of it-or something like that- but you must know how not to get caught."

"What nonsense you go on about Piper!" Annabeth exclaimed with such an expression on her face that Hazel almost laughed.

"It isn't nonsense!" Piper protested. "It's the perfect truth! I never liked her anyway..."

"It isn't nice to gossip about people like that, you of all people should know that."

"But it isn't gossiping, I was just recalling a very true event that occurred before my very own eyes."

"Define the word gossip," Annabeth said.

"A pure act of reciting an event that occurred which has not yet been established as accurate. Yes, yes I know! But anyway, the way you go on about Mrs Hera isn't nice either."

"I have my reasons, she cleared off any way of me getting closer to my college goal. Ask Percy and Thalia! They were there the entire time."

"Why what happened?" Hazel asked.

The blonde girl pursed her lips with utter distaste as she recalled the memory. "The lady has connections you see, and she even told the trustees over at the school to not take me in! But Mr Zeus Grace is also high up in social statuses, isn't he? Well Thalia went into the place and chewed them off about accepting me-and I am thankful and embarrassed at the same time for that. But she never liked the woman either. Mrs Hera and her father used to court, you know."

"Oh that's absolutely horrid to see those whom your parents had once dated." Piper made a face. "My mother used to have so many beaux and I still find it very unsettling."

"Isn't it awful?" Hazel exclaimed making such a face.

"Yes," Annabeth agreed with a wise expression on her face. "But one day, when we're all old with children, they'll find it horrible too."

This time it was Piper who made a face, either at the thought of being old or having children-or perhaps both. "That's why I'll save anybody looking upon me and doing so."

For a moment nobody said anything, enjoying the comfortable silence that fell over them. It was a nice day to simply talk of all the things to talk about with a few chums, and they kept stopping every once in a while to peek into a few stores then carry on walking through. Summer break was very enjoyable indeed, and Piper wished it would last forever-because soon after she would have to decide if she wanted to go on pursuing a proper education or not.

She could've tried to become a head teacher, like Annabeth was hoping on achieving, or something along the lines with 'higher qualification'. But everyone assumed that a girl would go for something like that. But even with no ambition, it was hard to fit into the crowd of studious and well-brought up people.

Or maybe she didn't have to fit in with them. She spotted Clarisse la Rue going about in the post office as they passed on. Clarisse was a tough but rather well-off girl, hoping on going off to college like the rest at the end of the season. Probably gone to see if she got any report on any place, Piper thought. A lot of people were dropping off to see if any word had gotten back from the college.

But unlike the others who would be able to go on to teaching at smaller placers, Piper heard that her father would never let her do such a thing. Apparently there was something unsatisfying about working for others' educational value, so Clarisse would either end up marrying or staying an old maid with her mother if she didn't get a chance to go to college.

"Clarisse's family do have a large farm, but it's very unlikely that she will end up working with her father and brothers there. Her father doesn't look upon her...very highly." Piper recalled her mother saying. She felt very sorry for her-if she had been in that situation she would most likely end up being an old maid.

The more she thought about it, the more she felt that her life was a little similar to Clarisse's. Yet it seemed different because she seemed to have made the choice for things to be that way. She hoped that Clarisse did end up going to college, because she deserved it.

"Piper, watch where you're going!"

Dazing off into her own world, she hadn't noticed the cart that seemed to be lying on the ground. It was almost too late when her shoe kicked it away and if it wasn't for Annabeth's fast reflexes and strong grip she would've stumbled down as well.

"What's this?" A man turned around at the commotion.

"Oh my goodness, good gracious! Sir I beg your pardon I am so very sorry!" Piper exclaimed to him, feel very embarrassed at the whole situation. "I wasn't looking my way, I am sorry!" She felt ridiculous and clumsy, thank the Lord that there hadn't been anybody else to see it but Annabeth and Hazel.

"Oh." The man said simply. His horse buggy appeared to be carrying a pile of other carts. He bent down and picked up what she had kicked away. "Lucky there wasn't anything in this," then he looked at her and tilted his head slightly. "Aren't you one of Aphrodite's daughter?"

"Yes." It was much more horrid to think that he knew of her, after what she had just done.

But the man just gave her a funny smile and nodded towards her. "It's alright." For a moment she thought he was talking about the fact that it was alright to be a McLean, and she was rather puzzled. It finally occurred to her that he was referring to the fact that she had almost tripped over his cart. "I didn't need the cart anyway; the people are taking longer to gather the crops this year."

"Ah." was all that Piper said.

He nodded again at them "Well I better be off now," And just like that he drove away.

"Mr Hermes is always in such a rush." Annabeth said as they watched his buggy go up the road.

"I see that."

"People are taking longer to father crops?" Hazel asked incredulously.

"Maybe they just need more help now these days." She replied. Piper didn't say anything for a while.

For some reason she thought of Clarisse's father again and herself, not being ambitious. She suddenly had an urge to do something, and something that was very different in society.

"Do you want to work on a farm?" Piper asked the two of them.

Annabeth frowned at the abrupt change of topic. "It has never occurred to me, besides my father never owned any land. You know that. He's a professor."

"Right, but since boys are more likely to go on with their family's land then why can't girls?"

"I don't think a girl would enjoy it," Hazel mused. "It isn't much to sow the crops and all."

Piper McLean laughed out loud at her comment, "But I doubt any girl has ever tried! I feel as if I want to give it a go-show all those other ladies that one of us can do it. I love animals anyhow; don't you think it's a good idea?"

They didn't. "It's not just about petting animals Piper, there is much more to that." Annabeth said, still frowning at the idea of it all. "I honestly do not know how you would ever get such an idea."

"I still want to give it a go." She said, determination ringing in her voice. "Just imagine the beautiful scenery and me collecting the vegetation. Perhaps I would have to wake up early, but I wouldn't mind that at all."

Hazel furrowed her eyebrows at her. "Piper, what are you thinking of?"

"Well maybe I could try and work a little for the season, don't you think? I could try a day or two for somebody-you know, just giving it a go. I'm sure I can find somebody who is in need of some extra help!"

"Farming isn't all that easy." Annabeth warned again.

"Yes, yes," Piper said absentmindedly. "Don't worry, I'll only see after the party-but at least I have some sort of plan to do until the summer break."

She was secretly hoping for some joy coming out of this. Surely it was an odd occupation for a girl to be looking at but it seemed reasonable for that time of year.

Hazel gave her a funny look. "Well you're strange jus' like your family. Never in the world would I have thought up something like that, Piper. You must be desperate for a job."

"I am desperate, perhaps not for only a job though. Maybe I can find a use for myself."

Hazel nodded. "Honestly, I need a little pay as well, and I doubt I'll be able to find another place close enough to teach at." She smiled at her. "I'd like to try it out as well, and I think I know a good place to do it too!"

"Oh you girls and your fancies," Annabeth sighed. "Just don't dilly dally about it before the party, because if you haven't something decent to wear they most probably won't let you attend. I'd get sewing with the dresses if I were you."

Piper waved her comment off to the side. "Yes, yes, Miss Annabeth Chase. I'm sure Silena won't forget to remind me since the party is only in a few days.

"Oh girls, just look at this fabric! I don't have quite a taste but I must say that this is really a nice colour. Just think of all the things I could do with it if I had the skill."

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**A/N And that's chapter two! I suppose it wasn't much but it looks like Piper and Hazel are going to try and start with the working soon! Alright, next chapter there'll be more excitement, and I think I can say that Piper is going to meet somebody...I wonder who ;) Please R&R (which also happens to be the initials of this story!) Your reviews always mean a lot to me :)**


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